Satellite Network Primer
Satellite Network Primer衛星網路入門
v1 · 2026-10
First edition第一版

How satellite networks work, and whether AI can run on them衛星網路的運作方式與在軌 AI 的可行性

This primer introduces orbital mechanics, optics and networking. Part I explains the physics using numbers from peer-reviewed papers and public filings. Part II covers the research by topic. Part III examines training and inference across satellites, using Google's Suncatcher formation as an example. It ends with a network research plan for orbital data centers.這份教材從軌道力學、光學與網路的基礎講起。第一部介紹物理原理，數字取自經同儕審查的論文與公開申報文件。第二部依主題介紹研究文獻。第三部以 Google 的 Suncatcher 編隊為例，討論跨衛星訓練與推論的需求，最後提出軌道資料中心的網路研究計畫。

13 chapters · ≈6 h13 章 · 約 6 小時Start with Chapter 1 →從第 1 章開始 →Orbits, constellations and the satellites actually flying軌道、星座與真正在飛的衛星 48 paper digests48 篇論文導讀Paper digests →論文導讀 →Papers grouped by topic, with a page explaining each paper's assumptions每頁一篇，依主題分組，每篇都攤開它的假設 104 terms104 個名詞Glossary →名詞表 →Every term, linked to where it is defined每個名詞都連到它的定義處

The thirteen chapters十三章

Part I · The physics第一部 · 物理

  1. 01Orbits and constellations: altitude, period, passes and the constellations actually flying軌道與星座：高度、週期、過頂，以及真正在飛的星座25′
  2. 02Inter-satellite links: geometry, propagation delay, the laser link budget and the +Grid星間鏈路：幾何、傳播延遲、雷射鏈路預算與 +Grid25′
  3. 03Ground links: terminals, gateways, beams, handovers and what Starlink measures like地面鏈路：終端、閘道、波束、換手，以及實測的 Starlink39′
  4. 04The parameter sheet: a defensible 2026 model of a LEO network參數表：一份站得住腳的 2026 年 LEO 網路模型24′

Part II · The research第二部 · 研究

  1. 05Topology design and routing: +Grid, motifs, ground relays and the latency arguments拓樸設計與路由：+Grid、motif、地面中繼與延遲論證24′
  2. 06Transport and congestion control over a moving network移動網路上的傳輸層與壅塞控制32′
  3. 07Tools of the trade: measurement campaigns, simulators and emulators研究工具：量測活動、模擬器與模擬平台29′
  4. 08Computing in orbit: power, heat, radiation and the downlink bottleneck在軌運算：電力、散熱、輻射與下行瓶頸33′
  5. 09Services in orbit: content delivery, storage, federated learning and on-board inference在軌服務：內容遞送、儲存、聯邦學習與機上推論25′

Part III · AI in orbit第三部 · 在軌 AI

  1. 10What AI training asks of a network, and what a constellation offersAI 訓練對網路的要求，以及星座能給什麼27′
  2. 11Google's Suncatcher formation: the links, the cluster network and what must be redesignedGoogle 的 Suncatcher 編隊：鏈路、叢集網路與必須重新設計之處32′
  3. 12LLM inference on satellites: the published systems and the assumptions they rest on衛星上的 LLM 推論：已發表的系統與它們所依賴的假設33′
  4. 13Orbital data centers: open problems and a research plan for the network軌道資料中心：待研究問題與網路研究計畫38′

Beyond the chapters章節之外

Paper digests論文導讀48

Each paper has a page, and each topic lists its prerequisite chapter. The digests state constellation, link-rate and latency assumptions, measurement coverage and evidence limits.每篇論文各有一頁導讀，並依主題列出先備章節。導讀說明星座、鏈路速率與延遲的假設，以及量測範圍和證據限制。

See all 48 digests →看全部 48 篇 →

How to use this primer使用說明

Where the numbers come from, how sources are tagged, how the chapters connect, and a question-driven entry table.數字從哪裡來、來源如何標記、各章如何相連，以及從問題出發的入口表。